Encyclopedia Yggdraversica

the Zinyini pantheon

Overview

The gods of the Zinyini live above The Vale, on great clouds of smoke eternally belched by the volcanoes to the west. They are much like any other gods, taking the love and respect of their followers and returning it in the form of blessings and miracles. However, they have weakened over the last several hundred years, as the city-dwelling people began to renounce the old faith in favor of more secular philosophy and reason. It was believed that the Vale’s Empress Carawynne was more powerful than all the gods put together. So while the gods still seek to serve the Zinyini interests, they are effectively forbidden from bringing harm to the people of the Vale as a result.

Each god commands Spirit Warriors, the souls of faithful who died in service to the gods and who happily return to continue that service after death. They are translucent glowing creatures, but corporeal and able to manipulate tangible items. Spirit Warriors cannot be killed, since they are already dead. If you destroy a Spirit Warrior’s body, s/he will “resurrect” the next day. The Spirit Warriors’ faith in life also allows them to occasionally command primal energies in a shape suiting their gods’ natures (e.g. a Spirit Warrior of Ezalb would be able to blast people with gouts of flame). As part of the pact with Empress Carawynne, the gods are only allowed to send Spirit Warriors to aid those Zinyini who are allied with (or at least have promised not to harm) the people of the Vale.

List of deities

The old king of the gods was Norebo, but he died fighting demons in the recent war some 100 years ago. When he died, all of the Spirit Warriors who served him simply winked out of existence. This was a severe blow to the morale of both the gods and their followers.

Modnar, god of thieves, was ruler of the gods. Not all the gods or their worshipers were absolutely pleased with this. Modnar basically played one god against the other and thus became the King of gods. He is a typical trickster god. who may or may not have slept with the Empress (either seduced by her or seduced her) to solidify his powerbase. (I.E. the Empress likes Modnar and none of the other gods would dare to challenge him.) Rumor has it that he was banished. He certainly has not appeared in recent memory. However his spirit warriors still exist but now recieve there power from King Bearnie. How that happened they, of course, aren’t saying .

Other deities:

Nerwoc, god of learning and art: He was seduced and trapped by a beautiful demoness (let that be a lesson to you young Zinyini, book learning and high ideals are not enough to save you!). Still his wisdom in battle turned the tide in the war once Modnar saved him. Honestly he seems sad, and many think he may be mourning for his lost demon lover. Others think he mourns for the lost knowledge that was destroyed in the war.Other say her mourns for his son Nilarem trapped in Arbor. Whatever the reason He and his Spirit Warriors are reclusive and monastic.

Einac, god of the sea and of navigation (the latter being mainly why he is worshiped out in the desert): The only god that apparently supported Modnar unbidden and for his own inscrutable reasons. This one is an enigma. He resides far from the cloud city and travels back and forth to the dread black stone island where the ancient gods scream and wail in despair for their old homes in the stars. Perhaps he has listened too long to their wailing. Perhaps that has given him further insight. It is known that he (and his priests) are openly angry at the Vale royalty . They distrust those that would restrict the access to the Great Mandala.

Darreg, god of strength and the earth: A rather simple god. Supported Modnar when he was told Allewel would flood the desert if she alone was supporting Modnar. So he too rushed to support him. He is the strongest of the gods and the one who is most supportive of his people – even to the point of cutting himself to allow them to grow things.

Princess Germain goddess of magic and the air: After Noi’fei was bound to the Water Mandala, Princess Germain was the only goddess that could fill the gap in the Pantheon. Germain is a wispy blond with piercing blue eyes. She is easily the most powerful psychic on the world and is one of the Empress’s most ardent supporters. She is well known in the Vale as a healer, using her powerful mind to knit bones and mend bodies. But in the war she was fierce a warrior as any of her siblings, flinging house sized boulders with her mind and turning demon against demon. Her father is Darreg, god of the earth.

Allewel, goddess of water: Supported Modnar when told that Ezalb and Darreg were. She felt she should go along. She is probably the most beloved goddess of the Zinyini. Nothing could live without her blessing. And she truly is a kind goddess; however, if slighted her temper can turn in an instant.

Tayabeu, Alien goddess of Weapons and Warfare Who came to the Vale from another world but Helps the Zinyini in thier conquests and gave them their allies, the Nutkin Clan. She is the god’s representitive to the people of The Us Homeworld

King Bearnie god of fire, Was elevated to Godhood with the help of Noi’fei Flooded with the residual power of her brother Ezalb the old god of Fire who was killed by Bearnie’s father Lewis on the Mandala of Flame buried deep in Khelid’Mir’Kahn’s volcano. The process “killed” Bearnie but he was reborn as the new God of Fire for both the Zinyini and the Azer.

Lady Aetheria goddess of Time. Aetheria became a goddess to block the plans of Bearnie and Einac and has appointed herself the gaurdian of the Mandala much to the consternation of those gods.

Ni’Krowd, Ancient god of Time and father of the gods (retired): Long ago the great black stone island fell from the stars and the ancient gods screamed in despair from being torn from their home in the heavens. They fell to earth in a mighty crash. The stone was very large and it created the sea. The stone was very hot and it burned the desert. The stone was very mighty, so much so it rose the volcanoes on the very other side of the world. and as the rain of the wounded world rained down upon the steaming black rock, one ancient god looked up from his despair. Ni’Krowd saw opportunity where the other only saw pain and despair. He tried to reason with the ancient gods but they would not listen. So sadly he left the great black stone to see what was about in the world. it is said he wandered for an eternity, sometime making races of people to entertain him. After a time when some of his creations had rebelled against him and had made horrible war on each other he retreated into a cloud and thought. He worked for some time gathering the best pieces from many other races, testing and retesting them. Finally when he was done the Zinyini came to be. But they were so honorable and strong, it reminded him of his long lost brothers still wailing in their despair back deep in the sea deep in the black rock island. So he raised up Norebo and told him to be king of his greatest creation and went back to tell his brothers that all was not lost and that he had made a wonderful people to worship them. Alas, while he had been away the ancient gods had gone mad with grief and attacked poor Ni’Krowd. Again sadly he returned, but he wisely realized his time had passed and his son Norebo was a great king indeed. Now it is said he lives in the great Volcano that smokes the cloud that the city of the gods is carved out of. Good Zinyini always throw good liquor into the volcano so the old god can have a good time in his retirement.